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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697814">you are the best thing that's ever been mine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/oftirnanog/pseuds/oftirnanog'>oftirnanog</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Dean Winchester's Birthday, Fluff and Smut, Human Castiel (Supernatural), M/M, Snowed In, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:27:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,998</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697814</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/oftirnanog/pseuds/oftirnanog</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>'Cas shifts further onto the bed, still watching Dean, and once he’s settled it becomes even clearer just how little space they have to work with on that mattress. Dean is so, so screwed.'</p>
<p>In which a snow storm forces Dean and Cas off the road and there's only one bed. Eventually there is also birthday pie.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Dean/Cas Tropefest 2021 Mid-Winter 5k</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>you are the best thing that's ever been mine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first time participating in Tropefest! I'm pretty new here and haven't done much writing for this fandom, but I hope you all enjoy. </p>
<p>This takes place in some nebulous alternate timeline where everyone's alive and Chuck is no longer a problem. I tagged characters based on who actually gets some dialogue. Sorry to those who are there but don't get to talk but 5000 words is quite short. I decided Cas still has his truck for the sake of a single throw away line simply because I miss Cas's truck. </p>
<p>Title from "Mine" by Taylor Swift because of who I am as a person.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Son of a bitch,” Dean swears. He pulls his foot off the gas and grips the wheel as Baby skids over a patch of ice.</p>
<p>Beside him, Cas braces his arms on the dashboard—a bad move if they actually crash, but Cas is only recently human again and probably hasn’t thought past not wanting to go through the windshield. </p>
<p>Dean squints, trying to see past the snow that’s falling thicker and faster with each passing minute. He’s driven through a lot of shitty weather over the years, but this is going to force them off the road. What started as rain quickly froze into ice and eventually became a full blizzard. It’s turned the roads into a skating rink and on top of that visibility is basically non-existent. They should’ve brought Cas’s truck.</p>
<p>“Goddammit,” he growls, as he eases off the gas again to prevent another potential spin out. “We can’t drive in this, we’re gonna have to stop somewhere.”</p>
<p>Cas looks weirdly panicked about this for someone who just a moment ago looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. “Are you sure we can’t make it to Jody’s tonight?”</p>
<p>“Not unless you’re okay ending up in a ditch or wrapped around a tree,” he says.</p>
<p>Cas pales and his eyes widen. “The sign back there said there’s a motel five miles ahead.”</p>
<p>“Awesome,” Dean says, resigned.</p>
<p>It takes them almost twenty minutes with Dean white-knuckling the steering wheel the whole way before they pull into the motel lot. Dean’s grateful that the vacancy sign is lit because he’s not sure they would have made it any further and he’s not eager to find out how cold the Impala will get overnight. </p>
<p>This feeling of gratitude lasts until he actually tries to book a room.</p>
<p>“What do you mean you’re out of doubles?”</p>
<p>The girl at the desk stares at him blankly and chews her gum, clearly unimpressed by the stupidity of Dean’s question. He can feel Cas watching him.</p>
<p>Dean rubs at his chin. “What kind of bed is in the single?”</p>
<p>She looks confused by the question. Her eyebrows rise incredulously and her lips curl in a sneer. “The kind with a mattress?”</p>
<p>“No, I mean—” Dean squeezes his eyes shut. “I mean what <em> size</em>?”</p>
<p>“Oh,” she says, chomping on her gum some more, gaze sliding to Cas for a moment. “A double.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Dean mutters. He tries not to let himself imagine sharing the bed with Cas. Maybe there’s an armchair or something in the room. A loveseat. Hell, maybe he can throw some towels in the bottom of the bathtub if it doesn’t look too scuzzy. </p>
<p>“But we could get a roll away cot,” the girl says. Her eyes move over Cas again.</p>
<p>Dean tries not to let his relief show too much. “Great.”</p>
<p>Once they’re settled in the room, Dean calls Sam.</p>
<p>“You’re stuck?” Sam demands, sounding personally offended by this development. He and Eileen had gone up to Jody’s ahead of them, along with Mom and Jack, while Dean and Cas wrapped up a routine salt and burn just outside of Lebanon. </p>
<p>“Yeah, man, looks like we’re gonna miss dinner,” he says. “Tell Jody we’re sorry. I know she had a whole big thing planned.”</p>
<p>The original plan had been a New Year’s Eve party at the bunker, but Donna had caught a vamp case that required backup, so Jody and Claire had gone as reinforcements. They tried to push it by a week, but apparently all the monsters had made it their new year’s resolution to cause as much havoc as possible and they’d barely had a break since New Year’s Eve. Finally Jody insisted that no matter what came down the pipe, she was hosting a dinner the second to last weekend of January. The only reason Dean and Cas had taken this last case was because they knew they’d be able to tie it up quickly. And they had. They just hadn’t planned for a snowstorm.</p>
<p>Dean misses what Sam says next, distracted by Cas answering the phone in the room. Cas frowns as he talks to whoever’s on the other end.</p>
<p>“Dean,” Sam says sharply.</p>
<p>“Huh? Yeah.”</p>
<p>“I said is there no way you can make it by tonight?”</p>
<p>Dean glances out the window at the snow still falling so thick he can barely see the vacancy sign. “I don’t think so, man. The roads are bad and it’s pretty much a whiteout.”</p>
<p>Sam sighs. “Okay,” he says, sounding strangely disappointed. “We’ll see you tomorrow, I guess.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Dean replies distractedly. His attention has wandered to Cas again, who’s now sitting on the edge of the bed staring at the motel phone with an uncomfortable hunch to his shoulders.</p>
<p>“I gotta go,” Dean says. “I’ll call you tomorrow when we’re on our way.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t wait for Sam to reply before hanging up.</p>
<p>“What’s up?” he asks, tilting his chin at Cas.</p>
<p>Cas shifts and straightens. “They don’t have any cots left,” he says carefully.</p>
<p>Fucking typical. Dean swallows and clears his throat. “Okay.”</p>
<p>There’s not a single other piece of furniture in this room that would be suitable to sleep on. He entertains the bathtub possibility again.</p>
<p>“I can sleep on the floor,” Cas offers, even though Dean had already offered to take the cot before they found out there wasn’t one. </p>
<p>Dean pulls himself together and decides to bite the bullet. “Don’t be stupid,” he says. “We can share the bed. It might just be a little crowded.”</p>
<p>He forces a smile and tries not to stare at the aforementioned bed. Calling it a double would be generous. It’s going to be more than crowded. Dean doesn’t know how they’ll fit without spooning.</p>
<p>Cas has no such reservations about assessing the bed and he eyes it dubiously. “If you’re sure.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure,” Dean says quickly, before he does something really stupid like offer to sleep in the car.</p>
<p>Cas considers this, but before he can come up with any protests of his own his stomach lets out an impressive grumble of hunger.  </p>
<p>Dean raises his eyebrows and huffs out a laugh. “Well, I guess that means it’s time to scare up some grub. I don’t think this place has a diner, so I think we’re stuck with whatever the vending machine has on offer. Any requests?”</p>
<p>Cas frowns. “From the vending machine?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, you know, Reese’s, Cheetos, Baby Ruth?” Cas keeps frowning. “Nougat?” When Cas still doesn’t answer, he says, “I’ll just get a variety.”</p>
<p>“Will that be sufficient for dinner?” Cas asks. </p>
<p>Dean scoffs. “Please. You’re looking at the master of the vending machine meal.” Cas looks unconvinced. “Trust me.”</p>
<p>“I always trust you, Dean.” The sincerity in his words causes something to squeeze in Dean’s chest. Something, that if Dean were honest with himself, he might call longing. Cas has always been earnest like this, never having learned to temper it the way most humans do. It’s always knocked Dean flat. He’s never known what to do with it. </p>
<p>Cas has been human for about a month now, as far as they can tell. His fading grace simply gave up the ghost one day and never returned. Dean still isn’t sure if that makes him human, exactly. Isn’t sure how much beyond hunger and exhaustion he has to contend with in the way of bodily needs and functions. Dean’s driving himself out his mind wondering.</p>
<p>The thing is, when Cas was an angel, it was easy to tell himself that Cas could never want him. Not like that. Not the way Dean wants Cas. He was an angel, for Christ’s sake. A multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent. The size of a Chrysler building, or something equally insane. Something Dean can never fully wrap his head around no matter how hard he tries. Something that is both easy to forget, because he’s <em> Cas</em>, and impossible to forget, because Dean’s constantly battling with his impulse to press Cas against the nearest flat surface and kiss him with everything he’s got.</p>
<p>It’s much harder to tell himself that Cas could never want him when Cas is rumpled and tired and looking all too human. It’s even harder when Cas keeps giving him long looks and lets his hands linger a beat or two longer than is considered strictly platonic whenever he touches him. It’s much, <em> much </em> harder to tell himself that when he’s about to share a bed with him for the night. A bed that is really far too small for two grown men. </p>
<p>Dean tries not to think about the last time Cas was human. They’d shared a motel bed that time as well. Cas had resisted. Had tried to insist that he was fine at the Gas ‘n’ Sip. He didn’t need Dean’s pity. Except it wasn’t pity at all. It was guilt. And it was a desire so overwhelming that Dean thought he might drown in it. The whole drive to Rexford, Dean had let himself consider the possibility of him and Cas. He was human, after all. With human desires. And Dean had been in love with him for years by that point. So he let himself hope. </p>
<p>Nothing had happened that night. They’d simply slept. Or Cas had slept, anyway, snoring gently while Dean held himself stiff as board, aching to rest his hand on Cas’s back, to tug him close and bury his nose in Cas’s hair the way he’s always wanted to. He hadn’t, of course. He’d contented himself with watching Cas sleep and told himself it was for the best when he drove away the next morning. And then, well, then Cas was an angel again. And Dean tried to tell himself that was for the best, too. </p>
<p>But now he isn’t. And Dean has been trying to figure out, for a month, what to do with that.</p>
<p>Cas shifts further onto the bed, still watching Dean, and once he’s settled it becomes even clearer just how little space they have to work with on that mattress.</p>
<p>Dean is so, so screwed. </p>
<p>“Right,” Dean says, at a loss. “I’m gonna—” He points to the door and heads out, grabbing the ice bucket on his way out just to give himself something else to do.</p>
<p>The whole venture takes long enough that when Dean gets back to the room Cas has showered and changed out of his fed suit. His hair is wet. He’s wearing a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt of Dean’s that he’d borrowed back before they got him his own wardrobe. Dean didn’t realize he still had it. Cas is sprawled on the bed flicking through the limited channels on the TV. He has one leg stretched long in front of him and the other bent out sideways, his knee taking up a good portion of what is to be Dean’s side of the mattress. Dean absolutely does not look at his crotch.</p>
<p>He steadfastly ignores how fucking <em> good </em> Cas looks in favour of brandishing his spoils.</p>
<p>“Look what I scored!” he says triumphantly, tossing two cups of instant noodles on the foot of the bed. He was particularly proud to procure those, as they were the last two in the machine and actually constitute a proper meal. Sort of.</p>
<p>Cas leans forward to inspect one of them. “What is it?” </p>
<p>“They’re noodles, man. You’ve never had a noodle cup?” Most things about Cas don’t surprise him, but this does. He would have thought that his time spent working at the Gas ‘n’ Sip would’ve acquainted him with noodle cups. </p>
<p>Cas just shakes his head. </p>
<p>“Well, that’s dinner right there,” Dean says. “And we’ve got some side dishes.” He starts emptying his pockets. “Doritos—spicy and regular. Cheez-Its. Fritos.” He tosses each item on the bed as he names it. “And dessert!” He announces proudly as he holds up a sleeve of Oreos and a package of Reese’s peanut butter cups. “And in case that’s not enough, I got us some movie snacks: licorice, M&amp;Ms, and, uh, Glosette raisins because I thought you might bellyache if there wasn’t a healthy option.”</p>
<p>“Glosettes aren’t healthy, Dean,” Cas says, but his lips are twitching like he’s trying not to smile.</p>
<p>Dean scoffs. “Says who? They’re raisins.”</p>
<p>Cas just shakes his head and makes a grab for the spicy Doritos. Dean watches him for a moment before he realizes he’s being kind of creepy. He turns to the TV to see what Cas has landed on and finds it’s an episode of <em> Dr. Sexy</em>. There are worse things to be watching on motel cable, so Dean leaves Cas to it and makes his way to the kitchenette to boil water for their noodle cups. </p>
<p>By the time the noodles are ready, Cas has worked his way through both bags of Doritos and has moved onto the Fritos. </p>
<p>“These are strange,” Cas says, shifting over so Dean has room next to him. “I’m not sure I like them, but I also can’t stop eating them.”</p>
<p>“That sounds about right.” Dean passes him one of the noodle cups and carefully balances the other as he takes his place on the bed. It puts them very close together.</p>
<p>Cas peers into his cup of noodles and sniffs at it. “It smells good.”</p>
<p>“It is good,” Dean insists. “Just be careful. It’s hot.”</p>
<p>Cas rolls his eyes. “That’s usually what steam indicates.”</p>
<p>Dean lets out a small huff of laughter.</p>
<p>Not two minutes later Cas hisses and swears as he burns his mouth, causing him to jolt, drop his fork, and splash his hand with hot broth. Dean reaches for the cup and takes it from Cas so he can’t burn himself some more. Cas immediately sucks the burned finger into his mouth and Dean almost fumbles the noodles. He puts them on the bedside table before they can do anymore damage.</p>
<p>“Here, let me see,” Dean says, tugging on Cas’s arm so he can look at his hand.</p>
<p>The side of his index finger is red, but Dean can’t tell if that’s from the broth or from it being in Cas’s mouth. Without thinking Dean gently blows on it. It takes him a moment to realize what he’s done and when he brings his gaze up, Cas is staring at him with wide eyes, cheeks slightly flushed. Dean swallows and lets go of Cas’s hand.</p>
<p>“You should run that under some water,” he says.</p>
<p>Cas gives him a stiff nod and retreats to the bathroom. Dean runs sweaty palms over his jeans.</p>
<p>“Not too cold,” Dean shouts over the running water, remembering that Cas probably won’t know.</p>
<p>Dean reaches for his own noodles, just to give himself something to do. He tries to focus on the TV, but it’s a commercial break so all he has to look at is an obnoxious used car salesman. </p>
<p>Cas looks sheepish when he emerges from the bathroom.</p>
<p>“How’s it feel?” Dean asks.</p>
<p>“It’s fine,” he says, settling back onto the bed. “It was superficial. I think it startled me more than anything else. Though my tongue still feels strange.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’ll probably still be like that tomorrow, too.” Dean reaches for Cas’s noodles and passes them over. He was going to give him a hard time about it, but he decides not to. “It’s probably cool enough to eat now.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
<p>They continue to eat in silence—the only sounds come from the TV and from Cas slurping carefully at his noodles. By the time they work their way through most of the food (only the Glosettes and the licorice remain), they’re much closer together. Cas’s thigh is a long line of heat against Dean’s own and their shoulders are pressed together. It’s all Dean can focus on. </p>
<p>It must be some kind of <em> Dr. Sexy </em> marathon, because this is the second episode in a row, and another has been promised right after. If Dean had been thinking of anything other than his proximity to Cas, he would’ve had the presence of mind to change it over to something else. As it is, Dean pays very little attention to what’s happening on the show. At least not until it devolves into a sex scene he really should have seen coming. </p>
<p>On screen, the two doctors, whose names he can’t remember just now, have fumbled their way onto a stripped down bed in an empty hospital room. The male doctor pushes up the female doctor’s scrubs and starts kissing his way down her body, starting between her breasts and stopping to dip his tongue into her belly button. It’s all very tastefully shot with careful angles that don’t reveal too much for network television, but it’s hot and heavy nonetheless.</p>
<p>Beside Dean, Cas squirms, which somehow pushes him even more firmly against Dean’s side. Then their knuckles bump together and Dean startles so badly he almost jumps. His heart picks up to a frantic rhythm in his chest. He keeps his eye trained on the screen, where the male doctor has now surfaced from between his partner’s legs and is tugging her forward as he shoves his pants down. Dean tilts his hand, lets his fingers seek out Cas’s, and Cas takes the invitation. He laces his fingers through Dean’s and squeezes. Dean might have an actual goddamn heart attack. The couple on screen pant and moan until the fade out and Dean’s hand tightens convulsively around Cas’s.</p>
<p>“Dean.” Cas breathes out his name on a desperate exhale and Dean kisses him.</p>
<p>He brings his free hand up to the back of Cas’s neck, guiding his head to a better angle, and licks into Cas’s mouth. Cas opens to him with a groan and Dean is already hard, straining against the front of his jeans. Cas tugs at Dean’s shirt, gets his hand underneath it, over the skin of his ribs.</p>
<p>“Fuck,” Dean moans. They’re still holding hands. </p>
<p>And then they both let go at the same time, scrambling at each other’s clothes, unable to undress each other fast enough. Cas gets momentarily stuck in his t-shirt. Dean gets tangled in his jeans and has to stop trying to angle towards Cas in order to get himself out of them. But they manage, eventually, and then they’re both gloriously naked. </p>
<p>Dean surges forward, pressing Cas back against the bed, shifting so his erection lines up against where Cas is equally hard. He rolls his hips and Cas makes a broken sound, so Dean does it again. Cas gasps and looks at him with wide eyes, like he can’t believe this is happening. Dean can relate. He kisses him again, slower this time, and rocks against him in a gentler rhythm. Cas is having none of it. He opens his mouth wider, making the kiss wet and sloppy, and grabs at Dean’s ass, pulling him in harder.</p>
<p>If Dean thought Cas was going to be shy and hesitant about this, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Cas slips a finger between Dean’s cheeks, presses it against his hole, and Dean fucking <em> whines </em>. “Cas,” he pleads. The name bursts from him, almost a sob. He’s so turned on he can barely fucking see straight. </p>
<p>Cas starts rubbing his finger up and down, catching on his rim with every upstroke, and Dean is already shaking with it. He buries his face against Cas’s neck as his hips twitch. A moment later Dean finds himself on his back. Cas flips them over so quickly and easily he barely has a chance to register the movement. Dean’s nerve endings alight with arousal. </p>
<p>Then Cas starts kissing down his chest, just like the doctor on TV. Dean writhes under him. Cas swallows Dean’s dick without an ounce of hesitation and Dean doesn’t have a chance to wonder where he’s learned how to do this because then Cas is pushing his finger against Dean’s hole again. Dean feels everything tightening and his fingers scrabble at Cas’s hair. He doesn’t want this to be over yet.</p>
<p>“Cas, wait, wait,” he says. “Don’t wanna come yet.” Cas pulls off and looks at Dean. His hair is a mess. His lips are red and wet. He looks completely debauched. He’s so fucking gorgeous. Dean’s dick jumps against his belly. “There’s stuff in my bag,” he pants. “Lube, condoms.”</p>
<p>While Cas rummages for supplies, Dean sucks his fingers into his mouth, slicking them enough to start opening himself up. It’s been a long time since he’s done this—it’s been a long time since he’s had sex with <em> anyone</em>—and he’s tight. He works the first finger in slowly.</p>
<p>Cas climbs back onto the bed and watches him for a moment, seemingly awestruck at the picture Dean makes, sprawled open and exposed. Then he pops the lube and rubs some onto his own fingers. He leans over Dean, kisses him almost chastely, and whispers, “Let me.”</p>
<p>Cas takes his time stretching Dean, hitting his prostate just enough to keep him on edge. Dean can feel it <em> everywhere.</em> By the time Cas has three fingers in him, he’s shaking again. He’s pretty sure he’ll come the moment Cas gets his hand around him. </p>
<p>“C’mon,” Dean urges. “I’m ready, Cas, c’mon.”</p>
<p>Cas kisses him one more time and rolls the condom on. He pushes into Dean so slowly that Dean thinks he’ll lose his mind. He feels so full. Cas runs a hand up Dean’s chest, thumbing at Dean’s nipple, and Dean rocks his hips forward on reflex. Cas groans Dean’s name and falls forward, bracing himself with a hand on either side of Dean’s head. Sweat gathers at his hairline as they find a rhythm. Cas is beautiful like this. Dean touches him everywhere, <em> everywhere</em>. He never wants to stop touching him. Dean feels like he’s going to shake apart, the tension in his belly coiling tighter and tighter. </p>
<p>“Cas,” Dean breathes. And Cas answers him with a kiss, hot and messy and perfect.</p>
<p>Dean’s close, so close. He reaches a hand between them, but before he gets a chance to touch himself, Cas knocks his hand aside and wraps his own around Dean’s dick. It only takes three strokes for the coiling pleasure to snap and release and then Dean is coming all over himself in thick streaks, hard enough that some of it hits his chin. Cas’s hips stutter as he loses his rhythm and then he follows Dean over the edge with a groan, breath hot and fast against Dean’s throat. </p>
<p>Cas collapses on top of him. They’re both breathing hard. They’re sweaty and sticky, but Dean finds that he likes the weight of Cas on top of him. He can feel Cas slipping out of him and Dean wraps his arms around Cas’s back, like that might counter the strange, unexpected sensation of loss. Dean kisses him on the temple, the shell of his ear, his shoulder. He tastes like sweat and skin. Like Cas.</p>
<p>Cas rolls off of him and places a kiss on Dean’s shoulder before going to the bathroom. He comes back with a warm cloth so Dean can clean himself up and then they both crawl under the covers. They arrange themselves on their sides, face to face with their legs tangled together. Dean traces a finger over Cas’s eyebrow and cheekbone, then down his jaw, like he’s tracing a backwards ‘three’.</p>
<p>“Hi,” he says.</p>
<p>Cas smiles. “Hi.”</p>
<p>Joy bubbles up in Dean’s chest and he laughs. He plants a kiss on Cas’s lips, clumsy because he can’t stop smiling. They stay that way, trading soft, lazy kisses, until exhaustion takes over. Dean spoons Cas into his chest then, and buries his nose in Cas’s hair, the way he’s always wanted to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dean wakes up slowly. They’ve shifted in their sleep. Cas is lying on his back and Dean is sprawled on top of him, leg hooked over Cas’s thigh. His morning wood is nudging at Cas’s hip. Cas is just blinking awake, so Dean kisses his neck and grinds against him. Cas flips them and Dean goes hot all over. It’s more of a turn on than Dean would’ve expected, being manhandled by Cas like that. </p>
<p>Cas immediately begins working his way down Dean’s body, pressing scorching, open-mouth kisses down Dean’s chest and stomach. He gives Dean a thorough working over until he’s coming down Cas’s throat. Then he crawls back up the bed and kisses him. It should be gross—neither of them has brushed their teeth and Cas just swallowed a mouthful of come—but it is incredibly hot instead. Cas is so worked up that he’s coming against Dean’s hip before Dean even has a chance to get a hand on him. Dean kisses him through it, hand pressed against the small of his back. </p>
<p>When Cas pulls back he smiles like he has a secret and then rumbles, “Happy Birthday.”</p>
<p>Dean blinks in surprise. He’d honestly forgotten. It’s been so long since any of them have celebrated a birthday that the day usually passes unnoticed. He suddenly remembers Sam’s consternation on the phone the night before. </p>
<p>“Wait a sec, is that what this dinner was about?”</p>
<p>“Please still act surprised,” Cas says, effecting a very serious expression.</p>
<p>“Wait, wait, wait,” Dean says, pushing himself up on his elbows. “Is that why we took the salt and burn case? So we’d get there last?”</p>
<p>Cas gives him a guilty look as he bites back a smile.</p>
<p>“Are you telling me we got stranded because of my birthday?”</p>
<p>Cas’s expression turns soft and he places his hand on Dean’s chest. “I think it worked out okay.”</p>
<p>Dean shakes his head, but can’t help the way his smile is taking over his face. “Yeah, okay.” He leans down to kiss Cas. When he pulls back he makes a face. He's very sticky. “Ugh, we need to shower.”</p>
<p>They stop for breakfast at a diner a few miles up the road and still make it to Jody’s in just under three hours. Everyone’s there. Jody’s new house, it turns out, has more than enough room to sleep all of them. </p>
<p>As they make their way inside, Dean finds a ‘Happy Birthday’ banner strung up in the living room, complete with streamers and balloons, and a pile of gifts on the coffee table. He’s overwhelmed. He seeks out Cas’s hand and doesn’t let go. This earns them a few knowing looks, but no one seems particularly surprised either. </p>
<p>Jody sits him down on the couch in front of the presents and then produces an apple pie lit up with candles. They all sing and Dean squeezes Cas’s hand the entire time. His chest is tight and his throat thick with emotion. He can’t believe they did this for him. Dean has to take a steadying breath before he can blow out the candles. </p>
<p>“Jody wanted to put a candle for every year, but I told her it would be a fire hazard,” Sam says, taking a seat on Dean’s other side.</p>
<p>Dean huffs. “Bitch.”</p>
<p>“Jerk.” Sam smiles and hands him a gift. “Happy Birthday.”</p>
<p>Dean finally lets go of Cas’s hand so he can tear into his presents. Every single one of them is perfect. Sam and Eileen got him a set of cast iron skillets. “So you’ll stop bitching about the ones at the bunker,” Sam says. Jody, Donna, and Alex went in together on new shirts. “Something not flannel,” Jody says. “For nights out,” Donna adds, winking at Cas. Dean only blushes a little. Mom got him a set of Japanese kitchen knives, “I thought you might need some good knives that weren’t for hunting,” and Jack got him a tackle box filled with new fishing lures. “For the next time we go fishing,” he says with a huge smile. Dean isn’t altogether sure he’s going to make it through this without crying. Luckily Claire and Kaia give him their gift next—two DVDs, <em> Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse </em> and <em> Mad Max: Fury Road</em>. “I figured you haven’t seen anything made this decade,” Claire says, and Dean laughs. Then she adds, “Happy birthday, old man,” and Cas looks at them both so fondly that he’s in danger of crying all over again. </p>
<p>Cas stays close the entire time, his hand an anchor at the base of Dean’s spine, and he rubs it in circles over Dean’s back when he gets choked up thanking everyone. After dinner, Cas pulls Dean into the hallway so they can be alone for a moment.</p>
<p>“I still haven’t given you my present,” Cas says.</p>
<p>“I thought you gave me that this morning,” Dean teases, leaning in to steal a kiss.</p>
<p>Cas indulges him for a minute and then pushes him back gently, producing a cassette from his shirt pocket. Dean takes it and reads the label. In his careful writing, Cas has written ‘Castiel’s Road Mixx.' Dean’s heart flips.</p>
<p>“Cas,” he says softly. Beyond that he’s speechless.</p>
<p>“Sam showed me how to use the cassette recorder,” he says. He sounds nervous. “It’s not as good as what you did, I’m sure, I don’t know music the way you do, but there are a few songs that have really stuck with me, over the years, and I know you can always use new music, being on the road—”</p>
<p>Dean cuts him off with a kiss. Cas sinks into it. When they stop, Dean keeps their foreheads pressed together.</p>
<p>“It's perfect,” he says. “I love you. You know that, right?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Cas replies, all confidence. “I love you, too.”</p>
<p>Dean smiles so wide his cheeks ache with it. Then he grabs Cas’s hand and pulls him towards their room.</p>
<p>“Where are you going?”</p>
<p>“I want to thank you for my present.” Dean turns, walking backwards so he can look at him.</p>
<p>“You just did.” Cas frowns in confusion.</p>
<p>Dean waggles his eyebrows. Cas flushes and follows him to the bedroom.</p>
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